A SINGLE spark ignited the vast fireball that killed four maintenance workers at one of Britain’s biggest oil refineries, it was confirmed yesterday.

The four contractors – three male painters and a female fire watch officer – were inside an empty storage tank when the huge explosion engulfed the Chevron oil refinery near Pembroke, west Wales.

A fifth man was fighting for his life last night, after suffering serious burns.

The only victim named so far is the female officer, Julie Jones, 55.

The next-of-kin of the others were still being told of their loss.

Yesterday as a joint police and health-and-safety investigation was under way, locals said the refinery was “a time bomb waiting to happen”.

Tony Spicer, 75, said: “It is inevitable that an accident would happen.”

And former oil worker Mark Thomas, of Milford Haven, said: “The refinery is a maze of pipes and tanks. All it takes is one spark and it is like a bomb going off.

“Something must have ignited the gas – possibly a spark from some of the work that was going on there.”

The refinery, which is capable of producing 14 per cent of all Britain’s petrol – stood silent yesterday as a mark of respect to the dead.

When working, it processes 220,000 barrels of crude oil a day and is one of the largest refineries in Europe.

The dead workers were outside contractors doing maintenance work at the plant.

People living as far as two miles away told how their homes were shaken by the force of Thursday’s blast.

The explosion shattered a 730 cubic metre storage tank and damaged an adjacent tank deep inside the refinery on the shores of Milford Haven.

Mother-of-three Alison Williams, 38, whose home there overlooks the giant plant, said: “It is tragic, four families have lost fathers, husbands and sons.”

Refinery manager Greg Hanggi said yesterday: “This is utterly devastating – the loss of our co-workers has come as a huge shock to us all.

“We will take every step possible to determine the series of events that led to this tragic incident. We want to ensure that any lessons learnt from it will be integrated into the business and shared with our industry partners. Our thoughts and deepest sympathy go out to their families.

“We will ensure that all employees and contractors are fully supported throughout this difficult time.”

Chief Superintendent Gwyn Thomas of Dyfed Powys Police said: “A police investigation is underway with the Health and Safety Executive and early indications show that this was a tragic industrial incident.”

An HSE spokesman said: “It is too early to speculate what happened.”

Last night a spokeswoman for the oil company said: “Chevron is hugely saddened by the death of four of its contractor colleagues in the incident yesterday evening and our thoughts go out to their families.”

Yesterday’s tragedy was the latest in a series of incidents at the plant. In June 2001 a fire was caused by a hydrogen leak, with smoke seen by eyewitnesses rising hundreds of feet into the air. No one was injured.

In March 2003 there was a fire in a specialist catalytic cracking unit, and in September that year two people were taken to hospital after a fire in a steam plant.

The refinery has been known as Chevron since around 2005.

In March, Chevron confirmed Texan oil company Valero Energy had agreed to buy the refinery for £446million and pay a further £611million for the stocks of oil, petrol and other products on site.

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